Zverev Faces Auger-Aliassime in ATP Finals Clash
Introduction
The inherent challenges of group stage tennis mean during this phase of the season-ending championships viewers are commonly puzzled, hastily looking for a calculator and striving to determine the complex qualification scenarios. However today's game between Zverev and Auger-Aliassime, thankfully, is simple. It’s a straight shootout: the victor secures a semi-final battle against Alcaraz at this season-ending event; the unsuccessful competitor heads out.
The German is the frontrunner for this: the world No 3 is the more accomplished player, has previously won at this competition previously on two instances and leads their head-to-head six matches to three, winning both the games they've played on an enclosed hard court.
But … this is the surface on which Felix has secured most of his championships, he is in great form after his compelling comeback against Shelton on recently and he eliminated Zverev in the US Championships initial phase in late summer. Plus, conditions are faster in the host city than at Flushing Meadows, which is even more beneficial in the Canadian's benefit.
If the German player is reserved, as he did against the Italian, and the Canadian presses the European player with his effective service game and confident shots, it could well be the 25-year-old Canadian – the one-time phenom who was earlier slated in front of the Spanish and Italian stars to replace the Big Three – who obtains the dubious honour of competing with the global leader on Saturday.
Action commences: at about 8.30pm local time, 19:30 Greenwich Mean Time.
